VOD develops fast in South America

'A Harmful Method''The Tree of Life''Elena''Drive'MADRID -- Latin America's VOD landscape is quickly attaining definition.In September, Netflix released a streaming-only service through the region. Argentina's two large telcos, Telefonica p Argentina and Telecom Argentina, also provide folded out VOD services.In South america, VOD is provided by satcaster Sky and cabler Internet. Also in South america, NetMovies, Latin America's greatest local Internet VOD operator, streams 4,000 films and series, getting cut its initial U.S. studio deal, with Disney, in September.For independent films, worldwide online VOD player Mubi works throughout South America Mexico has Canana OnDemand, Argentina has website Comunidad Zoom.Finally month's Ventana Sur, Spain's Filmin, an online film/TV VOD company, inked an offer with Colombia distrib Cineplex to build up something for The spanish language-speaking South America Cineplex will lead content and technology towards the Colombia Filmin service, states Filmin Boss Juan Carlos Tous.Cineplex's large 2012 releases -- "Tree of Existence," "Drive," "A Harmful Method" and "Elena" -- is going to be among photos on the internet service, states Cineplex prexy Elba McAllister. The Colombia launch will occur within the first half 2012 with 1,000 game titles, 300 from Colombia along with other Latin American nations, the relaxation worldwide, mostly Europe-acquired.Dealing with local territory partners, Filmin aims to grow throughout The spanish language-speaking South America.The Filmin-Cineplex alliance highlights possibilities for VOD in the area. Presently, Latin American online TV/video subscription revenues are minimal: 2010 saw just $a million from Argentina, $4 million from South america and $3 million from Mexico, based on Digital TV Research.Indie VOD in South America "continues to be in a diaper stage of growth, but it's growing," states Canana partner Pablo Cruz, who adds that Canana's VOD discharge of its TV series "Soy tu fan" solicited more buys than the usual normal studio release.But Canana OnDemand is transported on Cablevision, Mexico City's dominant cabler. Online, straight-to-PC services could face a harder fight. In Mexico, for example, people don't wish to hand out charge card particulars on the internet, Cruz states.For South America generally, Filmin's challenges are quite different from individuals of Netflix: Piracy is high, broadband transmission is low -- at 36% for Argentina, 24% for South america and 35% for Mexico this year, based on Screen Digest.Yet pay TV reaches under 25% of Latin American homes versus. 90% within the U.S., so VOD is way better situated to provide pay TV a run because of its money in the area, experts say.VOD can also be crucial in a very concentrated Latin American cinema exhibition market full of multiplexes that, even much more compared to Europe, is centered by Hollywood blockbusters."VOD," McAllister states, "offers huge possibilities for that distribution of Latin American and independent films."Marcelo Cajueiro, Charles Newbery and James Youthful led for this report. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Natalie Portman Crowned Filled with IMDB, Mila Kunis is Runner-Up

Just what a year for Natalie Portman: She built with Mila Kunis, won an Oscar, stood a baby, bedded Ashton Kutcher (onscreen), tamed Thor, and managed to get co-starring with James Franco. Whew! Overall, that made her most likely probably the most-seen star this year on IMDB. Kunis (Moviefone's Hottest Lady in the Summer season) showed up second, thumping The Actor-kaira Pitt (the champion in the last six years) to 3rd. Read onto observe other stars, including people 'Twilight' kids, ranked. 1. Natalie Portman 2. Mila Kunis 3. The Actor-kaira Pitt 4. Emma Stone 5. Chris Hemsworth 6. Olivia Wilde 7. Jennifer Lawrence 8. George Clooney 9. Ryan Gosling 10. Christian Bale Strangely enough, no 'Twilight' stars made the most effective 10 this year: This Season, Billy Burke and Rachelle Lefervre nabbed the second and third slots: This year, they were in twelfth and 26th place, correspondingly. Rachelle Lefervre, ranked at #14 a year ago, tumbled 70 spots to #84. Ouch. Among the finest ranked emerging stars of 2011: Michael Fassbender, Tom Sturdy, Emily Browning, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Henry Cavill and 'Glee's Dianna Agron. [via THR, IMDB] [Photo: AFP/Getty] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

Scarlett Johansson hates her nickname

In a move that will almost certainly ensure she gets called it twice as much, Scarlett Johansson has revealed she hates the popular shortening of her name to the contrived abbreviation "Scar-Jo"."It's laziness," she told USA Today. "People can't actually say the whole name? It's just bizarre... If I hear somebody say that, I know I don't know them at all."Traditionally, it has only been younger Hollywood starlets who've had their first and second names hyphened together, and Johansson goes on to query why "serious actors" don't come in for the same treatment."So Cate Blanchett is not, like, 'Ca-Bla'?" she queried. "Why is that? Why do I have to get stuck with a mangled moniker?" She went on to suggest Da-Day for Daniel Day-Lewis, which we must confess, we rather like.Anyway, we've received the warning loud and clear, which is why poor Scarlett will now be referred to exclusively by her full name. Unless of course she stars in a film with Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, in which case the temptation might be too much to resist...

Randy's rules to get the best appear

Randy ThomSound designer and Oscar champion Randy Thom has received a massive relation to the ability of film appear through both his work and also the writing. Handful of have referred to so clearly what switches into making great appear for movies.Variety spoke to Thom and asked for him to place out his core ideas, then spoke to appear pros from many of the 2011 movies about how precisely these ideas affect their pictures. We split the solutions to the two Oscar appear groups, appear mixing and appear editing.Sounds ought to be articulated clearlyEven when you're knee deep inside the sonic landscape from the action film, sounds have to be distinct. Move them forward or and also hardwearing . overall appear from getting muddy.Make room for silence between soundsMoments of silence or quiet are important inside the overall appear type of a film. Similar to breaks in musical composition, people occasions supply the audience a relaxation and additionally they create whatever uses the quiet appear more impactful and significant.Moderate using dialogue Other sounds takes a back chair whenever someone's speaking. Films designed to use dialogue properly open themselves up for greater usage of appear.If you want to choose, choose dramatic sense over technical precision Sometimes the appear from the actual explosion won't have an identical emotional impact as the second appear transformed to represent what you're seeing onscreen. When boom calculates being the noise from the cent rattling around in vacuum, expect.Attention round the Oscars: Vfx, Appear & Editing Thesps up f/x respect Longtime teams keep work fresh Randy's rules to get the best appear Appear editing: Always make dramatic sense Appear Mixing: Which causes it to be all feel real Digital tools add quality, cut back Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Eddie Lazarus to ankle FCC publish

LazarusEddie Lazarus, chief of staff to FCC chairman Julius Genachowski, will resign his publish by the finish of The month of january.Lazarus stated he's no immediate plans, but had lengthy spoken concerning the publish as being a "two- to 3-year job," that they accepted happens to be an "tiring position." His tenure was marked by some highly contentious issues, because the commission required up passage of internet neutrality rules and 2 high-profile mergers, the union of Comcast with NBC Universal and also at&T's suggested takeover of T-Mobile. Genachowski arrived on the scene from the AT&T-T-Mobile deal recently.InchWhilst there's not good time (to depart), this time around is just like any," Lazarus stated within an interview. He stated he and the family are thinking about coming back to California, where he once headed Akin Gump's La office. Lazarus became a member of the FCC in June 2009. Although he wasn't a communications lawyer, he was attracted to the thought of public service and would be a longtime friend of Genachowski's.His tenure also was marked by focus on USF reform and spectrum issues, most of the policy initiatives getting related to Genachowski's efforts to grow broadband access across the nation. A large challenge, Lazarus stated, was shepherding policy plans within an atmosphere where you will find "very couple of issues where everybody will fully stand up and applaud that which you do." But he noted that on issues like internet neutrality, "the temperature originates lower" because the new open Internet rules happen to be implemented. GOP efforts to roll back the guidelines have unsuccessful to win passage within the Senate.Lazarus stated his tenure "has switched to be absolutely fascinating. I'm happy Used to do it and grateful for that chance."Genachowski stated, "Nobody has been doing a lot more than Eddie Lazarus to make sure that the FCC meets its vital pursuit to harness communications technology to profit our economy and all sorts of People in america. Eddie has labored relentlessly to refocus the FCC on internet broadband, and release its possibilities." Contact Ted Manley at ted.manley@variety.com

Difficulties Promises Bigger Thrills For 'Skyfall'

After "Casino Royale" so capably re-energized the text franchise, "Quantum of Solace" was a little of the disappointment. Heavy on intended gravitas and jumbled action collages, the follow up did not quite deliver with audiences or experts, resulting in a brief hiatus for 007. But don't worry: Difficulties, still the capable British killer, promises that "Skyfall" is a lot better. Because he informs Break London, the issue with "Quantum" was the 2008 writers' strike. "On 'Quantum,' i was f---erectile dysfunction," he stated. "We'd the simplistic of the script after which there is a authors strike and there is nothing we're able to do. We couldnt use a author to complete it. I only say to myself, 'Never again', but you never know? There is me attempting to rewrite moments along with a author I'm not.Inch "I believe that one is much better,Inch he added. "I truly do. Its an entirely original story. I just read it also it just works like a story." The brand new film, helmed by Mike Mendes, is shooting at this time. Because of so many precedents set, every new Bond film is really a challenge -- a well known fact that is not lost on Craig. "If you are going to achieve that kind of stuff, youve got to have it right. You have allow it your very best shot. When you have everything talent, everybody gunning to really make it good, you have to have it,Inch he stated. "For f---s sake, its a Bond movie. You would like individuals to go, 'Whooah!' a clear, crisp consumption of breath throughout a film isn't a poor factor." Inform us that which you think about Craig's ideas on "Skyfall" within the comments section as well as on Twitter!

NYCritics Online: Artist, Shannon, Streep

NY Film Experts Online added its ranks to Sunday’s parade of honors. Within the group’s website: Film – The Artist Actor – Michael Shannon (Take Shelter) Actress – Meryl Streep (The Iron Lady) Director -Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist) Supporting Actor – Albert Brooks (Drive) Supporting Actress – Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids) Breakthrough Artist – Jessica Chastain (The Tree Of Existence, Your Financial Troubles, The Help, Take Shelter, Coriolanus, Texas Killing Fields) Debut Director – Joe Cornish (Attack the Block) Ensemble Cast – Bridesmaids Script – Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash (The Descendants) Documentary – Cave Of Forgotten Dreams Language – A Separation Animated – The Adventures of Tintin Cinematography – Emmanuel Lubezki (The Tree of Existence) Usage of Music -Ludovic Bource (The Artist) Top Films Of 2011 (from the to z) The Artist (The Weinstein Company) The Descendants (Fox Searchlight) Drive (FilmDistrict) The Help (DreamWorks Pictures) Hugo (Vital) Melancholia (Magnolia Pictures) Evening amount of time in Paris (The brand new the new sony Pictures Classics) Take Shelter (The brand new the new sony Pictures Classics) The Tree Of Existence (Fox Searchlight) War Equine (DreamWorks Pictures)